Game



March l17, 1925.

R. H. coT'rER GAME Filed April 8, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fou /NVENTR 5.212 TTORIVEYS March 17, 1925.

R. H. COTTER GAMB Filed April 8. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTR nun 'Idil/11151111111111111111 11111 \\\Q WITH/8858 Patented Mar. 179 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Y RICHARD HENRY CUTTER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME.

i Application filed April 8, 1922. Serial No. 550,846.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, RICHARD H. CoTTEn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New lyn, in the county York, borough of Brookof Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Game, oi which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in games,

f particularly to a baseball game, an object of the invention being to provide a device of this character which willvbe interesting and amusing to all devotees of the national sport, and

a gaine which will be simple and practical in construction, neat and attractive in appearance,

tively inexpensive With these and invention consists and comparato manufacture.

other objects in view, the in certain novel features of construction and combinations and ar-y rangements ci parts as will be more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a t op plan view of my im proved game board, a portion of the game `board being broken away for clearness Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section through the game Figure 8 is a top plan view of the game.

with the game board or field and the grooved plate removed;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view in section through one of the grooves; and

Figures 5 and 6 are similar views indicating the positions assumed by the indicators lin the grooves as they are struck by a ball.

Referring in d etail to the drawings, I

have used the reference numeral 1 to designate a relatively ball directing plate 2 shallow box. A grooved formed of cardboard or other vsuitable material includes side lianges 3 snugly fitting the box and a box cover defining depending Upon the cover within the walls of 4 is provided with box-embracing flanges 5.

4 there is displayed a representation of a ball'diainond, indicatedby the. reference numeral 6, and the box and vcover are preferab the same manner field, square openings 7 being providedy inl to designate the our bases the game board of the diamond. The box `is pre ly shaped in substantially as a well laid out ball ferably supported in the Vpoint l adjacent home plate. vpermits manual sliding of the indicatorY to tilted or angularl position, as shown in Figure 2, and at the upper end of the plate 4, there is provided a depression or pocket 8 intowhich a ball 9 is adapted to be delivered through an inclined shooting alley 10, eX- tending below the plate and communicating with the pocket. Theshooting alley or tube 10 is supported upon a transverse partition 11 in the bottom of the boX, and balls dropped through the home plate. opening 7 into the tube may be conveniently propelled through the tube and into the pocket 8 by a spring held shooting device or plunger 12. A series of grooves 13 through whichv the ball 9 is adapted togravitationally roll are all in communication with .the pocket 8 and a plurality of pins or other suitable interrupting devices 14 may be` provided in the grooves, or in certain common entrances to a number of grooves to interrupt the gravitational travel of the ball and direct the same into any ot the grooves; `The eX- eo l treniity of each' ygroove is located in registration with an opening 15in the. game board. i n

U-shaped indicators 16 normally supported'upon their sides adjacent the extremities of the grooves 13 serve to normally conceal openings 17 inthe bottoms of ythe grooves. These indicators likewise include upwardly extending lingers 18 projecting through the openingsfl of the game board. The indicators are preferably of a color which Vcontrasts sharply with the color of the board` so that as a ball` gravitationally rolls `down one ot the grooves, it will strikethe indiJ cator, moving the same, under one'of the openings 15 ltoindicate a play. As the indicator is moved under the opening 15, the ball. drops through the opening 17 and gravitationally rolls on the bottom of the box to an outlet opening 19 at its lowest The finger 18 itsnormal position. ready for another play.

Although I need not necessarily be limited tov this construction, I prefer to mount the tube 10 centrally of the field, that is, so that it extends from a point vbehind horneplate to center field,` where it terminates vin a curved extremity 20 or delivering balls into the pocket 8. Suitable guide flanges 21 are provided in the bottom of the box forV directing the ball toward the outlet opening 19 after it has dropped through the grooved plate.

Adjacent each .of the openings'laof-the game'board there are displayed certain indicating letters 22, said letters indicating the play to be made upon the board when the ball rolls into the associated grooves. These letters, such as 1B for a single, 2B for a tivobagger, 3B for a tripleHome,fora home run, etc. corresponding to the plays, hits, put outs,E strikes land balls of a ball game. A spinner :23 mounted .centrally upon Vthe diamond carriesarms 2l upon Whichtokens 25, representingz players-fare, 'mounted. The 15.1ne1ron.,tlie endfotthe spinner are lmoved inaccordance with the pla-ys `indicated by tl'leindicators 16. vThe spinner preferably includes a depending central stem 26 pro jecting throughithe box cover and plate. 4 and carrying a pinion?. A rack barQS mounted in brackets 29 lined to ther tabel() isi engageable with the pinion and may be operated, by al` handle 3l) extending. through .the .Wall .ofthe boX to-.turn the spinner. Openingsf in the held-receive men representing they team in the field.

,Inplayingthe game, .a ball is dropped through `the home plate lopening into the ,tube l() and shot through the tube into the 'iopocketSfrom which it Will gravitationally rroll into any oft-hegrooves 13.. As the in- `.,dicator at fthe lower end vof this groove moves. toindicate the play to be made, ythe spinner mayi be turned carrying the representation of a player into the properposition onthe diamond. 0f vcourse certain of' .theplaya indicatingstrikes fand balls will notnecessitate turningot the spinner, While other plays, vsuch .as put, .outs-sacrifice hits, rete. Will. necessitate 4the removal of' .one or "more .menifrom .the spinner. rvI`he- ;ame is f'played'just-- like an .ordinary ball game, one side taking [theVA field lafter three ymen .have been put out .and the other side going to bat. I previously :suggestedthat the lgrooved gplatefa might be made of, Dressed cardboard,

but it.. is toI tie-understood thatany suitable e-material might be utilized inthe construcftion of Vthe game, -any arrangement of ,grooves might be'employed, thedesign of fthe, held-,might be, changed,y and numerous .otheroslight: alte-rations might ,be kmade,- in the Y general form and arrangement. ,of the part-s described Withoutdeparting, from the V.invention.and hence4 Ildoznot Wislrtoflimit myselfto theyprecise details set forth, but

- shall considerfmyselt atfliberty to make such 4slight. changes :and valterations as' fairly 'fall ivithin the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

The .smalhrounded portions '16 on 'the '..bottonii'of the l indicators which normally seat in'fthe openingsl? to hold 'thefindicartors .,in,,place may befdispensedfvvith Vif #de- @5 sire'fcl, "These `rounded depending-'portions li'elds, each of particular play, a

lift out of the openings When the indicators are struck by a ball due to the size and flexibility, of the indicators.

I claim:

y1.`In a base ball game, a. playing field, ktokens movable on thefield to indicate plays, a grooved plate under the field, a shooting y'allef'under the late means for )roectino 7 D aball throughthe alley and, onto the plate, said ball adapted to gravitationally roll into any of said grooves, means in the ygrooves kindicati-ng thepresence of vtheball therein, Vindigna l associated lWith ysaid indicators directing the movement of the tokens when ,thel vball, rolls` into anyy groove, sai-d y grooves having-openings therein normally covered grooves indicating thewprcsence of 4the ball therein, lindicia associated ivithsaidindicators directing -when theball tl1e ,n1o\f'e1i'1ent of the tokens vrolls into any groove, said grooves having openings therein ,normally covered by the indicators, and through which the ball is adapted to drop after an indicator has been ,moved yto indicating position, said .field having openings vtherein adapted to expose the indicators-as theyvare moved by the ball, and fingers on the indica- .tors extending through the openings .in the lield :for manually restoring thein to their normal position.

3. In a1 base ball game'comprising-a member having representation of a base ball iield including .a Idian'ion'd pictured thereon, a group of apertures arrangedy in cachot the said Iapertures representing a guiding ymeans connecting each of said aperturesivith a` common opening, ya spherical element and meansg for projecting said element inthe common'openingf'froin `which said spherical element will be guided to .one of the apertures, vplaying pieces, a means rotatablyV supported on the diamondand having arms extending to the bases for carrying theplaying pieces whereby the said meansis moved in accordance :Withythe play indicated bythe element in thefield; in -avhichu the spherical element is positioned, toy indicate the"basesrunning of thelplaying member carriedbythefrotatably supported means 4, Apgame comprising fa! top having-therepresentationof.v a"r basel Yballl field' including a diamond arranged thereon, apertures arranged on the diamond at the positions cor responding to the bases thereof, other apertures arranged in the respective fields, said last named apertures being of a different shape, and being marked to represent different plays, a member rotatably supported on the diamond at a position corresponding to the pitchers box and having arms extend-` spherical element, means for elevating the' end of the game on Which the enlarged section is positioned, and means for projecting said spherical element into said common enlarged section and in engagement with said interference means which determines the movement of said spherical element into one of the grooves Where it comes to rest in one of the pockets indicating a certain play, said rotatably supported means being then manipulated in accordance With the indicated play.

In a game apparatus, aplaying field, a plate positioned beneath said field and having therein a pocket arranged adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of grooves all .con'nnunicating with said pocket and extending toward the other end of the plate, indicating devices disposed in the latter ends of said grooves and projecting through said playing field, a propelling,mechanism located beneath said plate, a guide extending from said propelling mechanism to said pocket, and an actuator for said indicating devices projected by said propelling mecha nism into said pocket and into any one of said grooves to actuate the indicatingl device therein. Y

6. In a game apparatus, a playing field, a plate positioned beneath said eld and having therein a pocket arranged adjacent one end thereof, and a plurality of grooves all communicating with said pocket and eX- tending toward the other end of the plate, indicating devices disposed in the latter ends of said grooves and projecting through said playing field, meansprojectable yfrom the end of said plate remote vfrom said pocket into said pocket and movable into any one of said grooves to actuate the indicating device therein, and propelling means for the last-named means.

7. In a game apparatus, a playing field having a plurality of openings therein, a. plate positioned beneath said field and having a plurality of grooves therein, an indieating device movable longitudinally in each of said grooves and having a portion extending through an adjacent opening in the playing field, and chance controlled means movable into any one of said grooves to actuate the indicating device therein.

8. In a game apparatus, a plate having a pocket positioned adjacent one end thereof and a plurality of grooves communicating with and diverging from said pocket, a playing field forming a cover for said plate and grooves and having a plurality of openings therein each of which is disposed adjacent the end of a groove remote from said pocket, an indicating device movable in each groove and having a portion projecting through the adjacent opening in the playing field,

a projectile movable into said pocket and from thence into any one of said grooves `for moving the indicating device therein, and means for propelling said projectile into said pocket.

9. In a game apparatus, a. playing field, a plate positioned beneath said playing field and for which said field provides a cover, said plate havinga pocket and a plurality of grooves therein communicating With and diverging from saidl pocket, a guide extending beneath said plate and havinga portion projecting into said pocket, a propelling device in said guide, means actuated by said propelling device to move along saidguide and into said pocket and from thence into any one of said grooves, and an indicating device in each groove actuated by the last named means to indicate a play to be made.

RICHARD HENRY COTTER. 

